First of all, a BIG *Thank You* to everyone who voted for me to
become AOM! Given the competition, I really had NO clue I had even
the slightest chance!

Who is callad? *lol* that is a question I asked myself many,
many times the past years. A little about the name 'callad,'
though. When I found Rendo in 2006, I needed a username and since I
was eager to 'get in' I simply combined the first parts of the
names of my pets I had. Calhoun, my bird and
Lady, my dog. The name 'callad' kinda stuck with me since
then.

Callad is Charlie or Charley, does not matter how you spell it,
it sounds the same. 49 years old, married for the second time 10
years ago, four children, one still living at home. I work full
hours in a small firm, do the household and in my spare time I
create images. On my homepage here on Rendo I tell a little more about
myself, and since I don't want you guys to fall asleep I won't
repeat it here.

A Lonely Street

How long have you been working in digital
art?

In september 2006, I discovered 3D images browsing the internet.
I stumbled upon some very beautiful images and searched for more.
During my search, I found a link and clicked it. The link led me to
Renderosity. That was a revelation, to say the least! So many
stunning and beautiful images in one place!

Very soon I learned about a free program called 'DazStudio,' and
by October 2006 I made my first image. It looked horrible, by the
way, but I learned how to do it better and in december 2006 I
uploaded my first image on Rendo. It still is in my gallery to
remind me on 'how it all started.' I was SO nervous what people
would say about it, but I soon learned how wonderful the Rendo
community was. Friendly people who share the same love for creating
images helped me and encouraged me to grow.

Lauren

Do you have any traditional art experience?

No, other than drawing when I was about 20, using pencils and
paper. I never could put on paper what was in my mind though, so
after a few years I stopped doing that. At that time my life was
turning 'hectic,' I got married, was blessed with children, and so
no time to create images, at that time anyway.

What are you currently working on?

The past year I haven't rendered very much, maybe one or two
renders a month, due to a personal transition, a spiritual
transition, in my life that had started almost two years ago. At
the moment, the direction I will take with my work is still a bit
uncertain, so I merely render for relaxation and to 'keep it in my
fingers.' You could say I am working to find 'a direction' right
now.

Dublin in the Park

What software is in your digital toolset and
why?

First, I want to say it's fabulous that there are so many very,
very creative people who create content for us to work with.
Without the endless effort these folks put into creating wonderful
clothes, hair and props, all this sofware would be worthless, so I
want to say 'Thank You!' for your creativity!

I use DazStudio 4.5 with Paolo's 'Reality 2.5' plugin, Luxrender
1.0 RC2 and Photoshop 7 with the 'Virtual Photographer' plugin.

I have tried other software, but could not 'grasp' it enough to
create the images I want. I very much admire the artists who create
stunning images with Poser, Carrara, and all other software there
is.

I use DazStudio to set-up a scene, the Reality plugin to set-up
the materials in the scene, and Luxrender to actually 'render' the
image. When the render is to my satisfaction and clear enough, I
stop Luxrender and load the image into Photoshop to fix minor
poke-through and 'dots' that sometimes remain in the image after
rendering. The last step is to apply several filters from the
'Virtual Photographer' plugin, to enhance colors and details, or to
set a 'mood' for the image.

What do you think your best piece of work is and
why?

That is a hard question... One of my favorites is 'I've seen an Angel,' which I made in 2008.
Maybe because the image was what I had in mind. A girl looking up
for answers to her life, who actually sees something she thinks is
an Angel.

I've seen an Angel

Who, or what, inspires you?

So many things! Feelings, everyday life, and last, but not
least, the art others make. A painting, render or a photograph can
give me the longing to create something like it myself.

Also, for me the images I create are 'therapy.' Without going
'to deep' into that, I can say I put a whole lot of *me* into the
images I create. I can sense that particular aspect in renders
others make too - most artists pour their very soul into everything
they create, and for me that is a privilege to witness.

What do you enjoy most about DAZ|Studio?

The way things are set-up in DazStudio are very easy to grasp,
it's very intuitive to use. I can remember when I first opened up
DS, I could really 'do' something with it in minutes. Sure, you
must be willing to learn and sometimes spend some time to figure
things out, but I never had the feeling I had with some other
software that I was totally 'stuck.'

The Lady and the Snake

Do you have any tips you would be willing to share on
the software you use?

Yes, if you want to create 'realistic' images, if that is your
goal, combine DazStudio with Luxrender, using the 'Reality' plugin.
Once you have used that combination, you will be stunned at the
results!

Don't get me wrong here, the internal render engine 3Delight of
DS, which I have used for many years, can also give very good
results, but for me the perfect combination is DS > Reality >
Luxrender. I found that the amount of postwork that I am doing
these days is far less than I did in the time I used 3Delight.

How has this online community (Renderosity) enhanced
your work, relationships, and learning?

Oh, a whole lot! I was very nervous when I uploaded my first
image back in 2006. How will people react? What will they say? Will
they ignore me or burn my image to the ground? Silly thoughts in
hindsight, because I got very warm and stimulating reactions right
from the start. If I asked a question with one of my images, I
could count on many, many constructive reactions. Maybe it's
because we all 'create' the things we love most, and so we are on
some sort of equal 'wave-lenghth.' But, the way most people
interact with each other here, could be an example for 'real life,'
in my opinion. The world would be a nicer place then.

Rendo is more that just an 'Art Gallery' / community, though.
Here I found friends who supported me when 'things got rough' in my
personal life. With some of them I have mailed a lot, we cried and
laughed together, and we shared very personal things and thoughts.
I have found some true and wonderful friends here ~for life~, for
which I am very, very grateful.

~Champaign!~ for REALITY 2.0 is
out!

Do you have any parting comments, or advice for other
artists?

Be true to yourself. Create images you want to create because
they make you happy, and because *you* like them. Don't be afraid
to ask if you want help, there is so much we can learn from each
other. And, above all: 'Never Give Up'!

For DazStudio users who have the 'Reality' plugin, there is a
very friendly thread called "Reality Render thread. A new
beginning." in the DAZ|Studio forum. New or experienced users,
you are all most welcome to share your art, ask questions, or
simply say 'hi.' I hope to see you there! :)

All supporting images are
copyright, and cannot be
copied, printed, or reproduced in any manner without written
permission from the artist.

Artist of the Month is highlighting a
talented Renderosity artist that has been nominated by mods and
admins, and voted by the community. Recognition is given to
this member for their collection of works for that year.

Since we only select one AOM per month,
it is not about their works for that particular month. Instead, it
is about highlighting a talented artist's works for that year, and
they are recognized during that month.

To learn more about Renderosity's Artist Of The Month [AOM]
award, and to view our past AOM's, please visit the AOM
page.

Create your masterpieces with products from the Renderosity
MarketPlace

Article Comments

Spot on and correct, well chosen and very deserving! This beautiful artist matches beautifully inside as well as out!

doarte ()
posted at 3:22PM Sun, 02 September 2012

Congratulations, well deserved!

Sharkbytes-BamaScans ()
posted at 4:31PM Sun, 02 September 2012

Glad to be among the first to congratulate you Charley... every render you put it is better than the previous.

Rhett55 ()
posted at 6:16PM Sun, 02 September 2012

Well deserved Charley!! Congratulations!!

cschell ()
posted at 10:26PM Sun, 02 September 2012

Congrats on winning Charley... well deserved and well done! ;)

superboomturbo ()
posted at 11:53PM Sun, 02 September 2012

Due time for the spotlight to focus on this shining starlet. Way to go Charley!

renecyberdoc ()
posted at 12:21AM Mon, 03 September 2012

Hi Charley,congratzz from spackoland.

erzebeth ()
posted at 12:38AM Mon, 03 September 2012

Congratulations and great selection

vyktohria ()
posted at 12:46AM Mon, 03 September 2012

HUUUGE Congratulations!!! Well-deserved! :D

Pret-a-3D ()
posted at 12:47AM Mon, 03 September 2012

Great interview Charley and congratulations on a well deserved achievement. In 2010, when I was looking for testers for the first version of Reality I found your gallery here at Renderosity. Your images impressed me greatly and I am so glad that you decided to help us improve Reality with your great skills and insight. Congratulations and thank you for the great art.

Babajaga ()
posted at 3:08AM Mon, 03 September 2012

Congratulations, your gallery is fantastic!!

Misangelic ()
posted at 6:43AM Mon, 03 September 2012

Having seen your work I'm kind of surprised to discover you've never been AOM before now. So I'll just say it's about bloody time! :)

This is a long overdue honour bestowed upon you Charlie.You were the person who inspired me to try Daz Studio.I'm still here and still light years behind your level of expertise. Keep 'em coming!

lyron ()
posted at 2:50PM Mon, 03 September 2012

Congratulations. Well deserved!!

TheOwl68 ()
posted at 4:21PM Mon, 03 September 2012

Congratulations, Charley =) Beautiful and inspiring work indeed!

SophiD ()
posted at 4:52PM Mon, 03 September 2012

very well-deserved!! Callad is an inspiration to all DS/Reality users out there!

soffy ()
posted at 2:34AM Tue, 04 September 2012

Congrats,you have a wonderful Gallery******

2121 ()
posted at 2:26PM Tue, 04 September 2012

So proud of you...awwww shucks all gushy here my friend..so i will just say this, so well deserved and so very talented. CONGRATS !!!!!!

KimberlyC ()
posted at 11:24PM Tue, 04 September 2012

Congrats! Very much deserved! :)

mgtcs ()
posted at 12:24AM Thu, 06 September 2012

My sincere congratulations dear Friend, your work is really marvelous and you deserved it very much! I'm honored for having been nominated with you!

Bossie_Boots ()
posted at 1:02PM Thu, 06 September 2012

Oh wow fantastic news i did not know until today congrats hun well deserved for sure hugs lou x

mikeerson ()
posted at 7:55PM Thu, 06 September 2012

I remember questioning you years ago, Charlie or Charley - is that really your name - lol... like in the article, you told me it did not matter, I was like what? I mean, I go by my middle name and I have all kinds of trouble with people thinking I'm not who I am because I don't match my first name - lol I could only imagine if I told them it doesn't matter how you spell it - lol... and after all that, I asked you, are you a man or a woman - you would not tell, you kept the mystery going... like you, I joined in 2006 - THERE ARE A LOT OF US IN THAT CLASS... Like you, I'm 49.... I want to say I'm Happy for you that you won what I consider the biggest named artists in one AOM contest... I had 9 Favorite Artist in this AOM - I'm sure it'll never happen again... I rooted for all 9 of you and when some weren't getting the votes I felt bad that I could not vote for them. ...Congratulations, You won... and The Mystery is over - You are a good looking woman! lol I love your art, keep it coming.

Privacy Notice

This site uses cookies to deliver the best experience.
Our own cookies make user accounts and other features possible.
Third-party cookies are used to display relevant ads and to analyze how Renderosity is used.
By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Terms of Service, including our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy.